Liberty Global CEO Says He Doesn’t Expect Apple to Sell a TV

Liberty Global Plc Chief Executive Officer Mike Fries, who runs one of the world’s biggest cable companies, said he doesn’t expect Apple Inc. to sell its own television, disputing speculation among analysts.

“I don’t think Apple is going to build a TV,” Fries said today at an investment conference in New York. Apple instead is talking to U.S. cable providers about revamping the interface for pay-TV services, he said.

Analysts such as Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray Cos. and Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald have predicted Apple will release a television set, vaulting the company into a new market. Until now, its TV efforts have been limited to a $100 Internet-connected set-top box that streams video from providers such as Netflix Inc., Google Inc.’s YouTube, Hulu LLC and Apple’s own iTunes.

The company has been beefing up what is available via Apple TV in recent months by striking deals with Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN and Time Warner Inc.’s HBO. Apple also has been negotiating with Time Warner Cable Inc. to give subscribers of the cable service access to their channels via Apple TV, people familiar with the talks have said.